Welcome Menu

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Jacksonville Fire Rescue knocked down a fire at a Mandarin billiards hall apparently started while the owner was making repairs to the building's roof Friday morning, authorities said.

Firefighters were called to the business, located at 3853 Old St. Augustine Road, about 9:30 a.m., according to JFRD. When they arrived, they found the roof in flames.

Firefighters were able to quickly bring the fire under control and put it out, Battalion Chief Neal White told Ken Amaro, adding that much of the damage was to the roof.

"The business owner, I believe, was doing some repair work on the roof with a torch and started the roof on fire," White said.

It's believed the owner was making repairs to damage caused by last week's storms.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- An anonymous tip led to a list of drug charges for a local man after investigators uncovered the remnants of a meth lab inside a Mandarin home Tuesday.

Steven Kaai Andrin, Jr., 45, is charged with manufacturing methamphetamine and possession of a controlled substance, both felonies, along with misdemeanor marijuana and drug paraphernalia charges, according to an arrest report obtained by First Coast News.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Walking through the compacted dirt across from her home, Mandarin resident Christine Conner reminisces about what used to be.

"You know what's sad? Is that my kids used to -- it was like our forest. That's where they played, you know?"

Conner bought her house 17 years ago, in large part because of the old-growth live oak right outside her door – the very kind removed in a vast interstate clear-cutting, as the Department of Transportation makes way for toll roads.